[Below is a GRRN media release on the Salt Lake
Winter Olympics 'Zero Waste' Plan. A detailed
report by GRRN consultant Gary Liss and a
GRRN Update (with the June CRRA resolution)
are posted at www.grrn.org/olympics.]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David Wood 608-347-7043
Bill Sheehan 706-613-7121
INPUT IMPROVES SALT LAKE OLYMPIC
RECYCLING PLANS
Concerns Remain Over SLOC's Zero Waste Claim
Despite recent efforts to improve the Salt
Lake Olympics Organizing Committee's (SLOC)
Solid Waste Management Plan, recycling
professionals led by the GrassRoots
Recycling Network (GRRN) remain concerned
over the SLOC's declaration of a 'zero
waste' goal.
"We applaud the Olympics Committee for
recognizing the importance of a zero waste
strategy, and for rejecting the original
plan to mix garbage and recyclables at
public venues," said Bill Sheehan, Executive
Director of the Athens, GA based GrassRoots
Recycling Network. "But the plan still
lacks sufficient detail, resources and
engagement of the public to achieve zero
waste," Sheehan said.
A GRRN representative and other recycling
professionals, recycling businesses leaders
and government officials met with SLOC on
August 16, 2001 to propose improvements to
the Olympics' waste and recycling systems.
This "Recycling Forum" was organized largely
in response to a resolution spearheaded by
GRRN and adopted by the California Resource
Recovery Association (CRRA) at CRRA's July
annual meeting. The resolution specifically
noted concern with the SLOC's zero waste
claim and recommended ways to improve the
Waste Management Plan.
"I'm pleased the SLOC provided an
opportunity to discuss various concerns and
permit outsiders to make specific
recommendations," said Richard Anthony, a
board member of both CRRA and GRRN.
"However, it is still unclear what the
SLOC's level of commitment is to those
recommended changes, and unlikely that they
can come close to a goal of zero waste
without adopting the recommendations."
"The Forum's recommendation to use two bins
for source separation rather than their
original single bin system that mixed trash
and recyclables is a significant
improvement, but lags behind the
'recyclables' and 'compostables' system
employed at the Sydney, Australia, Olympic
Games," Anthony added. "To their credit,
however, SLOC may well lay the foundation
for large-scale food waste composting
operations in the Salt Lake City area."
"GRRN will be monitoring implementation of
the SLOC's plans," Sheehan said. "SLOC's
recycling contract sets specific diversion
rates and requires daily reporting. Public
accountability is crucial. At a minimum,
SLOC needs to implement the recommendations
of the Forum to move closer to realizing
their goal of Zero Waste. GRRN's involvement
in this matter results from the need to hold
institutions accountable when they make zero
waste claims, and to properly inform the
public whether those claims have merit."
GRRN is a North American network of waste
reduction activists and professionals, and
the U.S. leader in the growing international
zero waste movement. For more information on
Olympics recycling visit
www.grrn.org/olympics
###
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